Landscape fabric is frequently considered a snobbery because of previous negative experiences But Jobe’s is here to put the record straight about how the product is best used and what advantages it could bring.
The most common complaint landscapers typically have about fabric for landscaping is that it does not stop all the growth of weeds, however, Kim Kemper, vice president of Jobe’s marketing, claims that the fabric can only slow or stop the growth of weeds.
“No landscape fabric will be able to completely get rid of weeds” she declares. “That’s an untruth, it’s total and total. It’s the reason I think people are frustrated. It’s like, “Oh, this should completely eliminate the weeds, however, it’s not.”
In addition, the landscape fabric can be utilized for much more than controlling weeds. Find out both the advantages and disadvantages below and the best way to proceed making use of this material.
Pros
As previously mentioned the primary benefit of landscape fabric is its capacity to deter weed growth. This reduces the requirement for herbicides. Landscape fabrics are best suited to garden beds designed to last longer, like those for shrubs, instead of those that are used for annuals or vegetables which are dug up frequently.
Kemper states that it assists in controlling the temperatures in the soil by keeping it cool and moist in summer, and warmer in winter.
Landscape fabric is also beneficial in hardscaping installations.
“Landscape fabric,” especially the best kind, is a fantastic stabilizer for soils to prevent erosion of the fill dirt or fill sand or whatever you’re placing in between the pavers when you set them up from erosion and washing away the stability of the soil,” Kemper says.
Another common application of landscape fabric is erosion prevention on hills since they stop washouts due to heavy rains. Kemper states that Jobe’s fabric is often utilized in California for this purpose.
Cons
One of the biggest disadvantages of landscape fabric is that it blocks nutrients from getting to the soil. That could make it unhealthy.
But, Kemper says Jobe’s fabrics let air, water, and nutrients reach the plants and prevent the seeds of weeds from sprouting.
“In Our WeedBlock along with our PowerGrid We have developed patented micro funnel technology, as well as the pattern embedded inside the fabric,” Kemper says. “It is actually integrated into the fabric itself which aids in the water flow that pulls the water downwards and into the soil as well as the airflow as well as temperature control. These patents are only valid for those fabrics.”
Another concern is that weed seeds could grow in the mulch that is placed over the fabric, defying the goal of the fabric completely. For those who want to swap out their gardens often, puncturing the fabric to allow for new plants could result in it becoming less effective in the long run.
Kemper states that a lot of issues that landscapers face stem due to the wrong fabric suitable for the task.
“If you really think about the fabric you’re working on and try to make sure that your fabric is in line with your design you’ll be a lot more content,” she says. “Both in terms of the amount of money you’ll spend as well as the results you’ll achieve.”
The right material is required appropriate for the job
To avoid having a poor encounter with the landscape fabric Kemper insists on conducting thorough research before making any decisions.
“Understand what type of job they’re working on so that they can understand the kind of fabric they’ll need,” she says. “Because that’s likely to be the biggest issue right there immediately.”
The lighter-weight fabrics, such as the Jobe’s WeedBlock or PowerGrid are ideal when working in a seasonally-changing bed. Jobe’s also offers WeedBlock Natural that is made of corn and will break down as time passes. It is essential to cover these lightweight fabrics with a light layer of mulch since they’re not as UV robust as the heavier fabrics.
To ensure that lightweight fabrics stay at bay, gardeners could make use of a peg for fabric at every 3 feet.
In the meantime, if you are planning to build a sidewalk or project using river rocks, Kemper advises using a high-quality or woven fabric that can support and hold up to the weight they’ll be exposed to.
“I think they believe it’s all the same type of fabric, which I think so,” Kemper says. “And this is why they’re dissatisfied when they choose the most affordable one, which happens to end up being one film and they’re doing a premium installation of a path, or installing crushed granite or river rocks in a bed and the fabric just falls apart.”
Fabrics with greater weight are held in place with staples used to hold the fabric in place. The use of longer staples is recommended when working on soils with sandy clay.
The fabric’s quality and the manner in which it is maintained and installed will determine the life span of the fabric.